What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisodium Phosphate
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-4
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Spirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Trisodium Phosphate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Laureth-4, Parfum, Benzophenone-4, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, CI 42090, Tocopherol, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisodium Phosphate
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Glycol
HumectantGlycylglycine
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Maltobionic Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acer Saccharum Sap
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Propylene Glycol, Trisodium Phosphate, Panthenol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Laureth-4, Benzophenone-4, Glycol, Glycylglycine, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Gluconolactone, Maltobionic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Tocopherol, Acer Saccharum Sap
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzophenone-4 is a water-soluble chemical sunscreen.
It protects in the UV-B range, but is considered a secondary UV absorber. This means that it needs to be paired with other sunscreen ingredients to provide effective protection.
Typically, it's used in cosmetic products to protect them from deterioration caused by UV rays. This is why you'll find it in a lot of products that aren't sunscreens.
Learn more about Benzophenone-4Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLaureth-4 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol. It is a surfactant and emulsifier.
Surfactants reduce the surface tension of ingredients so they can mix better. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients such as oil and water from separating.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWe don't have a description for Trisodium Phosphate yet.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
